Treatment of hydrocarbons



'h m mmatic hydroca bo s-r I e cerbqns; :Mo especifica r involving-tn conditions .hrdrorar e Patented July 14, 1942 V was. This in ntion relatesto theconve'rsion of to, aromatic? hyoperationainregard to. temperature, time-of catalytic 1 contact. whereby pressure, 1

known :a rn nh eni'c: hydrocarbons, can be con- I into aromatic:hydrocarbons;

search fo catalysts; to; specifically .control and accelerate; the; desired conversionxreactions iscdncerned with a process e use oispecialca-talysts andvspecific 31; drocarb ns, iin udin' th cyclohexane derivatives. which are. generally .;tO:' such catalytic-treatment, the mixtures bein I made by the blendingof individual compounds among hyli l carbpnshas'ibeenattended with'the usualidiific ltiesaencountered: in finding catalysts for... other types of? :reactions'; since there A are no ,basicqlaws; or rules. -for @predicting-1the;v effective- .ness ofl catalytic-z-materials and: the art .asza whole .-is in -a moraines-less empirical statei. In..using i m ny.xcatalystsevenii-n connection :with conversion reactions among pure hydrocarbons andparticula-rly :inigwnnectlom.with the conversion of the relatively heavy distillates and residua which are available for cracking, there is a general tendency for the decomposition reactions to proceed at a very rapid rate, necessitating the use of extremely short time factors and very accurate control of temperature and pressure to avoid too extensive decomposition. There are further difficulties encountered in maintaining the efficiency of catalysts employed in pyrolysissince there is usually a rapid deposition of car bonaceous materials on their surfaces and in their pores.

In one specific embodiment the present invention comprises the conversion of hydro-aromatic hydrocarbons into aromatic hydrocarbons by subjecting them at a temperature of the order of 300-400 C. to contact with catalytic material comprising essentially reduced cobalt and aluminum oxide.

As indicating generally the types of compounds which can be treated by the present process to give material yields of aromatic hydrocarbons,

the following tabulation is given:

Specific Formula blame Mp. Bp. gravity C. I C. C ll", Cyclohexene. l03.-7 83. 3 0. 810 (EH12 Cyclohoxanc 6. 81, 4 0. 779 C111 Methylcyclohexene-l l-l 0. R09 Mothylcyclohcxene-Ii. 1 0. 800 01H lllethylcyclohexane 0. 700 mHiz... Tctralin 0. 973 C|0H|3.... DPCi'lllfl (Cl5).. 0:895 Dccnliu (trans). 0. S72 CQHMH. DiCyClnh0Xyl.. Cull 1.Z-dieyclohcxylethauc;... 0. 384

Since the compounds listed above and others of omeric or more complex character are capable aromatics comprises alumina supporting reduced perimental results. i

orDrawing.v Application April21,1939 1." f

S erialNo. 269,166

of conversionintosubstantial yields of aromatic -hydrocarbons by the present process, it is evident that the-reaction mechanism must vary considerably-and involve not only simple splitting of! of hydrogen,- but in some cases isomerization. However it is not intended to -''comment further on this point since the invention is based upon ex- It'is within-the scope of this invention tosubject mixtures of hydro-aromatic hydrocarbons reformed to "produce aromatic hydrocarbons wtherein and improve-their an'tiknockvalue. 1 a The preferred catalysts for promoting the dehydrogenation of naphthenes and other hydro- .cobalt insvarious percentages, depending upon desired cobalt which functions as the principal the catalytic activity required; According to one method of preparation, cobalt hydroxide, or a hydrated cobalt oxide, is precipitated together with aluminum hydroxide by the action in solution of sodium aluminate on cobalt nitrate. The combined hydroxides, sometimes referred to as hydrated oxides, are washed anion free, dried and then reduced in hydrogen at a temperature in the approximate order of 400-425" C. Difi'erent proportions of sodium aluminate and a cobalt salt may be used in the catalyst preparation, but optimum results are generally obtained with a catalyst containing 20-40% of cobalt and -60% of alumina. Also separately precipitated aluminum hydroxide or precipitated hydrous aluminum oxide may be activated by a compound of cobalt.

Alternatively other types of alumina maybe employed. For this purpose the alumina is preferably of an active character, such as isproducible by the heating of such natural minerals as hydragrillite (AlzOs-BHzO), bauxite The alumina is worked up into granular form V of moderate mesh (usually of the order of 4-20), pelleted, or extruded; and the resultant particles are impregnated with a cobalt salt, such as the nitrate, by treatment with an aqueous solution thereof, the absorbed or occluded salt being first transformed to oxides by calcination of the composite and then subjected to the action Of hY- drogen or of other reducing gases to form the catalystfor thereactions. As already stated the proportion '5: cobaltv to alumina may be? var matic hydrocarbon is: va atmospheric pressure; wherev this can bveieitectedi v material was then ,usedas a1 fill v chamber; through which ,cyclohex ied: considerably, depending upon the activity revquired for dehydroggnating;speoiiio; hydro aromati' niol'ogs- 'whijzzl iwill obyiously: as to:

their stability.

In the operation of the without decomposition, andithevapors are, passed: over a stationary section of the dehydrogenation catalyst at a tempera toobtain'the optimu ture: determined b tests; m production; of. aromatic, hydrocarbons generally employing; a timeiof con process. a hydro-alto; porized at substantially dehydrogenation occurre spending; tov the production 01 10% benzene perpass I-n a;ziiurtheiyrunE at 3509' Cg, 35% of; the cyelohexan thusgeonyentem benzene per ass over. the eatalystzand gaseawere formed consistingessentially ofa hydro en. By separats v ing the, benzene from the product; and; retumingtheunconvertedi cyclohexanfi' to further cont c with the; catalyst, mixing five; volumes ofnecycle H dehydrogenation reached 88 tact in the, order of 10-20 seconds. In. the; case of the higher boilingghydro-aromatic th derivatives, ese maybe vaporizedaunder a. reduced: pressurewhich: maybe as; low: as.-:.approx'nnately- 020.01 at.- mospherevto: ipreven-ts undesirabl ,"reacti ons" matic or naphthenicy hydrocarbon over; the cata 'll-yst the;v products may-be treated; with sulfur di-i- ;-oxide;;,;oranotherzsuitable solvent;v or byg-othen e decomposition --After the: passage; ofthehydrolaro-i means toremove aromatic hydrooarbons pm, duced by the dehydrogenation. rThe-naphthenic hydrocarbons. remaining-after separations of, the

aromatic; hydrocarbensnarez recycled tog. further: dehydrogenationztreatment in thea presence of -the,;ieobalt alumina catalyst-.5:-

The following example, is introduced to show results normally obtainabl'ein: the -'operation of;

- the process although notywithithe intention of:

= unduly limitingthe: scope-'ot-the invention:

-. Y A cobalt oxid-alumina-catalyst was: prepared by :..D D ation,--andi reduced as. indicated above so that thesifin-ished; catalyst; contained cobalt. and alumina;

er in a suitable ane; was passed ;C under atmospheric pressure wherebysenteda although neith undulylimit: its: generalil hydrocarbom to Con act. at a. emperature in the stock; with e aoh fyolume of fresh feed the total The natureof; the; present; invention and its praetiealzappliation are evident; from the pre- --'ceding; specification and; illustrative data pre 5'; broad? scope. ola'imjasv myinventiom; I

" I 1:. A pI-QGBSS;'fi0I"C O1WQiEfiiIg al hydro-aromatic hydrocarbon into.- an; aroma o; hydrocarbon which comprises subjecting; said'hydro-aromatic approximate range; ofBQQ-AQQ under" a; pre sure"in;the-'approximaterange 0291200 1; tor-110 a a.- mixture of cobalt and; almnina.

. mixture of: 351 This catalytio ic material I "cobalt and "-60% aiuminag' nredueemby eta-prec p hydrox-ides of cobalt: and ammi-num; dryingthe precipitated materials; and: reduoi A process, ion-producing aiioinatic hy rocarbons; which comprises; subjecting a hydroaromatic hydroea-rbo deh-ydr'ogenating Qondi-tions l he presence; 'Qff a corprecipitated balt hydroxide -and alum nium. hy droxide; which, ha-snb eni. di iifldi and reduced to form a; solidicompositewf metallic cobalt and alumina; 3

to; an extent; corre- .erx section is; intended to;

ng; to produoe- 

